Tuesday, November 11, 2008

VIDEO: Keith Olbermann "Gay marriage is a question of love"

I know that I'm late in disseminating this video but I still find it of much benefit. As an amateur speaker, my words may not travel very far or with much strength, but that doesn't mean I can't spread the words of those who speak tall.

"Olbermann: Gay marriage is a question of love"
Everyone deserves the same chance at permanence and happiness

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann Defends Love:
(link to the transcript)

Previous posts as evidence, I've been a little dizzy since the election. I'm still trying to find my bearings with this issue and other revelations, and I'm afraid of some of the truths and fears that are falling from the recesses of my subconscious. One such thought surfaced when Keith Olbermann mentioned a certain length many gays have gone through under the pressure of a non-understanding society:

"And uncountable in our history are the number of men and women, forced by society into marrying the opposite sex, in sham marriages, or marriages of convenience, or just marriages of not knowing, centuries of men and women who have lived their lives in shame and unhappiness, and who have, through a lie to themselves or others, broken countless other lives, of spouses and children, all because we said a man couldn't marry another man, or a woman couldn't marry another woman. The sanctity of marriage."

I think of the generations of gays and lesbians before me who had such great pressures and incentives to stay in the closet, and of what a difficult time some of them must've had adjusting to a culture that has since become more accepting. I grew up without these pressures and with a good sense of the freedom of being able to be who I am without shame.

Every day I feel so fortunate to have the love and unwavering support of my family and friends -- in my coming out, my "re-adjustment with society", and my todays. It's just that, unlike the APA's clearing of a hurdle in 1975, in concluding that my sexual preference is not a mental disorder, the hurdle for marriage equality still exists, and it doesn't appear that there is a single organization or entity that can decisively clear and rule this issue.

As I listened to Mr. Olbermann, I realized that with gay marriage, like the lifting of laws that banned interracial marriage, it is just a matter of time. But the thought that gave me a moment's paralysis was a simple question:

Will I ever be able to really love someone?

And by that, I mean "what am I waiting for?"

Am I using the fact that I can't get legally married as an excuse for not pursuing any sort of romantic relationship, and how will this affect me when it comes the time when I can legally get married?

Will I be ready?

I may not find the man of my dreams, and just may be the type that wasn't destined to get gay-married, but I still believe in the worth of having that chance to have a relationship recognized and that hope for lasting happiness. I'm a cynic, but I'm a cynic with a soft spot.

And for that, I plan to be in Orlando in front of City Hall this Saturday afternoon, for a peaceful gathering, part of a nation-wise JoinTheImpact campaign protesting the passing of Florida's Amendment 2, California's Proposition 8, and Arizona's Proposition 102. I feel that NOW is a critical time for our nation, in its rebuilding, and that this is an opportunity for me to join others in taking on the injustice that stares our country in its face. This is something I CAN DO.

Thank you, Mr. Olbermann for what You do.

1 comment(s):

Cedric said...

The thing about being able to spread the word of those others who are better versed... the same goes for the written. Here are links to Jake's (Nofo) blog entries about his personal saga:
      Proposition Hate
      Wow
      Despite what the last two posts may imply...